Automatic golf ball washer



Jan. 30, 1968 L. D. oLlNGHousE AUTOMATIC GOLF BALL WASHER Filed* June l0, 1966 INVZ'NTOR. on/su. 0. Qua/snows United States Patent O 3,365,739 AUTOMATIC GLF BALL WASHER Lowell D. Olinghouse, 927 Devon St., Indianapolis, Ind. 46219 Filed June 10, 1966, Ser. No. 556,730 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-21) The present invention relates to an improved golrf ball washer usable either on a stationary surface or adapted to be attached to a golf bag cart, a power driven cart and the like.

More particularly, the invention relates to a golf ball washer of the type characterized by a compact housing adapted to be attached to a golf bag cart, a power driven cart and the like wherein an improved means for cleaning a golf ball is provided.

It is -a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved golf ball washer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a compact, portable gol-f ball washer usable on a flat surface or adapted to be attached to a golf bag cart, a power driven cart and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf ball washer wherein an unequal or unsym- `metrical action is exerted on the ball in driving the same -about its annular path coaxial wit-h a pair of brush members which are so positioned as to provide an improved cleaning means.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description Iand claims.

`In the drawings:

IFIG. l is a sectional View of a representative embodiment of the golf -ball washer taken through lines 2-2 of FIG. 2;

yFIG. 2 is a top plan view of the golf ball washer showing the circular liquid chamber and the spaced, semicircular brushes disposed about the inner wall of the chamber.

`Generally speaking, the present invention is a ball washer which comprises a generally rectangular housing having a semicircular end. The semicircular end has a circular opening into which a cylindrical liquid container is inserted. The container is then secured to the housing by a suitable fastening means. The liquid container extends upwardly from the housing and is designed to threadably receive a cap. A battery is supported within the housing which operates a motor. The housing has a hinged portion to provide access to the battery. The battery is coupled to the motor in a conventional manner. A drive shaft extends from the motor in the direction of the liquid container. A speed reduction means couples the drive shaft of the motor to a second shaft which is journaled through a wall of the liquid container. An opposite wall of the container has a bushing or similar means thereon for rotatably supporting the ifree end of the second shaft. A water seal -is provided about the second shaft abutting the container wall to prevent liquid from reaching the battery and the motor.

The second shaft carries a deformed wheel-like member which i-mparts unequal or asymmetrical action on a ball resting thereon as the wheel member rotates. rIhe ball is spun against a pair of spaced brushes which are affixed to the cylindrical side walls of the liquid container above the deformed wheel member. A means for mounting the ball washer to an upright oibject such as a golf cart is affixed to an outer wall of the housing. An external means for activating and de-activating the motor extends through the housing wall 'for easy access.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention will be described in more detail. Refering more specifically to ice VFIG. l, the ball washer 10 comprises a generally rectangular housing 1d having a semicircular end `12. The se'rnicircular end has a circular opening into which a cylindrical liquid container 113 is inserted. Liquid container 13 is secured to the housing 11 by a suitable tfastening Irneans such as screw 214. The liquid cont-ainer 13 has a threaded portion 15 Iwhich extends above the housing 11 to threadably receive a cap 16.

A battery l17 is supported within the housing 1|1 for operating a motor 18. A conventional motor mount 19 is provided within the housing. Wall 20 of the housing is hinged by hinge 21 so that the wall may be removed to provide access to the battery. A latch 22 is provided at the top of hinged wall y20 to allow opening and closing of the wall. The free end of the motor drive shaft 23 carries a pinion "gear 24 which drives gear 25. Gear 25 in turn drives a second shaft 26 which is journaled through wall 27 of the liquid container 13. The free end of the shaft 26 is rotatably received in a bushing 28 on the wall opposite =wall 27 of the liquid container 13.

A water seal 29 is disposed on either side of wall 27 to prevent liquid .from reaching the motor d8 and the battery 17. The w-ater seal comprises a metal washer 30 and 'liber washer 31 disposed on either side of the wall 27. Shaft 26 is retained in a given position by a one-way washer which abuts the Water seal 29.

A deformed Iwheel 45 is carried by the shaft 26. -During the operation `of the washer, the golf ball represented by dotted line 32 rides on the deformed wheel 45. As the deformed wheel is rotated by shaft 26 it imparts unequal or asymmetrical action to the ball 32 thereby causing it to spin.

While the brush arrangement which will be described hereinbelow may be utilized either in the cap 16 as shown or in the liquid container itself, the container being formed substantially longer than shown in the drawings, the brushes will be described for illustrative purposes as being attached to the cap 16. The ycap has a curved top 33 and a threaded portion 34 which interfits with the threaded portion 15 of the cylindrical liquid container 13. The cap is also cylindrical. A rst brush 37 is mounted around the inner surface of the cap 16 to form a semicircular brush which circumscribes one-half of the golf ball 32. As can be seen from the drawings, the bristles 35 of the brush extend outwardly around the wire 36 to form a circular pattern therearound. The iirst brush 37 is disposed adjacent a sealing washer 38 which provides a watertight seal between the cap 16 and the liquid container 13. A second brush 39 is disposed adjacent the top of the cap on the opposite wall of the cap. The second brush 39 is identical to the first brush 37, that is, the bristles extend in a circle around the wire. Both of the brushes are semicircular. They are disposed about the surface of the inner walls of the cap so that the concave surfaces of each brush open toward and face each other. It is to be noted from the drawings, however, that the brushes are spaced apart. This gives a more effective cleaning action as the ball is spun by the action of the deformed wheel 45.

A mounting bracket 4l) is a'ixed to the back wall of the ball washer 10 and has a key shaped slot 41 having an elongated slot with an enlarged circular opening at the lower end thereof. By means of a rivet xed to the frame or any other suitable conventional fastening means, the ball washer 10 may be affixed to a golf cart, a power driven cart and the like.

The configuration of the brushes may be clearly seen in FIG. 2. In the top plan view as shown in FIG. 2, it can be seen that, while the brushes are spaced apart, brushes 37 and 39 are semicircular and form a circular pattern about a golf ball which is resting on the deformed wheel member 45. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the deformed Wheelmember 45 is centrally disposed within the container. It can further be seen that as the deformed wheel rotates it causes the ball to spin and that the particular coniiguration of the wheel and its relationship to the spaced brushes insures that all surfaces of the golf ball will be equally and'thoroughly cleaned.

In the Voperation of the present invention, the cap 16 is removed from the assembly. A suitable liquid or detergent is placed'in the liquid container 13 and the top secured to the container and fastened to a golf bag cart or a similar apparatuslWnenever the golfer desires, the cap is removed and the ball to be cleaned is placed on the deformed wheel and the cap tted thereover. A button or switch or similar member not shown in the drawings is then pressed to activate the motor. The top of the cap may be clear so that the golfer may observe when the ball is thoroughly cleansed. Thus, the present invention provides a simple, efficient and convenient means for cleaning a golf ball. It may be used on a fiat surface or it may be attached to a golf bag cart or a power driven Y cart or the like while the'golfer is on the golf course.

The housing itself may be of plastic, which is economical and simple to mold, or of any other suitable light' weight material. The brushes. may be either in the cap or may be within the container itself. If the brushes are disposed along the inner walls of the liquid container, then the lengthof the container would be extended and the length of the cap shortened.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restric-V tive in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and Within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A ball. washer comprising: a generally rectangular housing having a semicircular end, said semicircular end having a circular opening into which a cylindrical liquid container is inserted, means for securing said liquid container to said housing; said liquid container having means upwardly extending from said housing to threadably receive a cap for said liquid container; a motor supported within said housing; a battery supported within said housing for operating said motor, said housing having a hinged means for access to said battery, said battery coupled to said motor; a drive shaft extending from said motor; speed reduction means coupling said drive shaft to a second shaft journaled through a wall of said liquid container, means for rotatably supporting the free end of said second shaft in an opposite Wall of said liquid container, water sealing means disposed about said second shaft abutting said container wall to prevent liquid from reaching said battery and said motor; said second shaft carrying a deformed wheel-like member which imparts unequal or asymmetrical action on a ball resting thereon as said wheel-like member rotates; said ball being spun against a pair of spaced brushes, said brushes being aiiixed to the side walls of said liquid container above said deformed wheel member; and means for mounting said ball washer to an upright object, said mounting means alhxed to an outer wall of said housing, and external means for activating and de-activating said motor.

2. A ball washer as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said brushes is affixed tothe inside wall of said container so as to form a iirst semicircular brush surface and the second of said brushes is aixed on opposite inside wall of said container and spaced above said lirst brush so as to form a second semicircular `brush surface, said iirst and second brushes circumscribing said ball 3o that as said ball is spun by said deformed wheel member, said ball is engaged by said brushes.

3. A ball washer as defined inrclaim 2 wherein the bristles of said brushes form a circular pattern around their supporting Wire.

4. A ball washer as defined in claimV 3 kwherein said cap is cylindrical and additionally comprises a sealing washer for providing a tight seal with said liquid container.

- 5. A ball washer as defined in claim V4 wherein said spaced, semicircular brushes are mounted along the inner walls of said removable cap and said deformed wheel member is positioned so that said ball extends above the top of said liquid container when said -ball rests on said` wheel, said rst brush positioned adjacent said sealing washer of said cap and said second brush being positioned adjacent the top of said cap. n

6. A ball washer as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting meanspextends above the top of said housing and has a key slot therein for receiving means for fastening said washer to an object.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,150,392 9/1964 Molander l5-'2l CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. EDWARD L; ROBERTS, Examiner. 

1. A BALL WASHER COMPRISING: A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR HOUSING HAVING A SEMICIRCULAR END, SAID SEMICIRCULAR LIQUID HAVING A CIRCULAR OPENING INTO WHICH A CYLINDRICAL LIQUID CONTAINER IS INSERTED, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LIQUID CONTAINER TO SAID HOUSING; SAID LIQUID CONTAINER HAVING MEANS UPWARDLY EXTENDING FROM SAID HOUSING TO THREADABLY RECEIVE A CAP FOR SAID LIQUID CONTAINER; A MOTOR SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING; A BATTERY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR OPERATING SAID MOTOR, SAID HOUSING HAVING A HINGED MEANS FOR ACCESS TO SAID BATTERY, SAID BATTERY COUPLED TO SAID MOTOR; A DRIVE SHAFT ETENDING FROM SAID MOTOR; SPEED REDUCTION MEANS COUPLING SAID DRIVE SHAFT TO A SECOND SHAFT JOURNALED THROUGH A WALL OF SAID LIQUID CONTAINER, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING THE FREE END OF SAID SECOND SHAFT IN AN OPPOSITE DISPOSED ABOUT SAID SECOND SHAFT ABUTTING SAID CONTAINER WALL TO PREVENT LIQUID FROM REACHING SAID BATTERY AND SAID MOTOR; SAID SECOND SHAFT CARRYING A DEFORMED WHEEL-LIKE MEMBER WHICH IMPARTS UNEQUAL FOR ASYMMETRICAL ACTION ON A BALL RESTING THEREON AS SAID WHEEL-LIKE MEMBER ROTATES; SAID BALL BEING SPUN AGAINST A PAIR OF SPACED BRUSHES, SAID BRUSHES BEING AFFIXED TO THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID LIQUID CONTAINER ABOVE SAID DEFORMED WHEEL MEMBER; AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID BALL WASHER TO AN UPRIGHT OBJECT, SAID MOUNTING MEANS AFFIXED TO AN OUTER WALL OF SAID HOUSING, AND EXTERNAL MEANS FOR ACTIVATING AND DE-ACTIVATING SAID MOTOR. 